Julius m



(N'o Medel.) I

J. M. DRAGOO.

REGEPTAGLE FOR POOL BALLS- No. 351,752. Patented Nov. 2, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC JULIUs M. DRAGOO, or FAIRFIELD, NEBRASKA.

RECEPTA'CLE FoR POOL-BALLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,752, dated November 2, 1886,

Application filed July 16, 1886. Serial No. 208,193. (No model.)

To all whom it 11mg concern.-

Be it known that I, JULIUS M. DRAGOO, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Clay and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Receptacles for Pool-Balls, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a receptacle for poolballs; and it consists of the peculiar combination and novel construction and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims. w

The object of my invention is to provide a receptacle for pool-balls that is to be applied to a pool-table to obviate the necessity of conveying the balls from the table after-a game has been finished to a rack or other place on the wall, in which operation the balls are sometimes dropped and injured by striking the floor or against the metallic legs of the pool-table or other object;

A further object of my invention is to provide the receptacle with means whereby it can be folded out of the way when the game is in progress, and which can be quickly and easily turned or adj usted upon the table to discharge the balls therein onto the table; to provide means for isolating the balls from each other when they arein the receptacle, and for quickly discharging them from the receptacle when desired, and, finally, to provide improved means for holding the chalk orthe like.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a pool ball receptacle embodying my invention, Figurel is a perspective view of a portion of a pool-table with my improved receptacle for the balls adj usted out of the way of the player. Fig. 2is a similar view of the receptacle adjusted upon the table to easilydischarge the contents thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken transversely through the receptacle in the position shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the receptacle and the supports therefor detached from the table.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, A designates my improved 5o swinging receptacle for pool-balls, and B the table to which the receptacle is applied, the

table being of the ordinary class in common use.

The receptacle is preferably made rectangular in form, andof a size sufficient to contain or accommodate the entire number of balls with which the game is played.

The receptacle comprises a bottom, a, a vertical side wall, 1), another side wall, 0, arranged at the opposite edge of the bottom and parallel with the side I), and the vertical end walls, (I, the whole being very firmly and rigidly secured together for strength and durability. The side wall 0 of the receptacle is cut away at or near its middle to provide anexit-opening, f, for the escape 'of the poolballs from the receptacle when desired, and the edges of thesaid exit-opening are beveled or inclined, as shown atf'.

signed to receive the chalk for chalking the cues, is arranged between the inclined edges of the exit-openingfi and by this arrangement of the walls of the auxiliary chalk-receptacle they serve to deflect the balls as they are rolled from the chambers or compartments of the receptacle A on each side of the auxiliary receptacle into and through the exit-opening f, so that their discharge or exit is facilitated.

The receptacle is capable of a swinging V movement, so that the upper edges thereof lie flush with the upper edge of one of the end rails of the table to which the device is applied; or it can be adjusted so as to rest upon the said end rail, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the contents or balls therein can be discharged directly out upon the table without danger of falling on the floor, and be thereby injured by strikiugagainst the leg of the table or other object.

.D designates horizontal supports, which are secured directly to the pool-table B at one end or side of the latter, and these supports extend outwardly from the table, so that the bottom of the receptacle A can rest firmly and steadily thereon without danger of displace ment. The outer lower edges of the receptacle is provided with dependinglugs or flanges E, and to these flanges is pivoted one end of the links E, the opposite ends of the said links being pivoted directly to the supports at the inner ends of the latter, where they are secured to the table, as shown. When the re ceptacle rests on and is upheld by the supports, the links lie flush with and against the supports and beneath the bottom of the receptacle, and when the receptacle is adjusted so that it rests on the upper side of the rail of the pool-table B the links assume substantially a vertical position, as shown.

In order to isolate the pool-balls from one another, or keep them out of contact when they are inclosed in the receptacle A, I pro vide the partitions F, which correspond in number with the number of balls employed or used in the game. These partitions are equal in size to the interior dimensions of the receptacle A, in which they are snugly fitted, and the lower edges of these partitions are curved or beveled off, so that when they are swung upwardly out of the receptacle A. the said edges of the partitions will clear the upper edges of one of the side walls of the receptacle A. Each of these partitions is provided with a metallic strap, G, on the upper exposed edges thereof, and one end of each strap is bent or formed into a loop or band, 9, which fits around and incloses a swinging bar, H, that carries all of the partitions, so that the partitions-are adjusted simultaneously, to enable the quick and easy discharge of the poolballs from the receptacle A through the exit opening f thereof, as described. This swinging bar H, which, for the sake of convenience, I will term the carrying-bar, is arranged to rest upon the upper edge of the side wall I) of the receptacle A, and it lies flush with the upper edges of the end walls, d, when the partitions are fitted within the receptacle A, the carrying-bar being hinged or pivotally connected with the end wall I) of the receptacle, as at 71, so that it can be conveniently operated by hand to adjust the partitions within the receptacle A, or swing them upwardly and outwardly therefrom. The loops or hands of the metallic straps that connect the partitions with the carrying-bar may be secured rigidly to the said bar, so that the partitions are prevented from movement thereon; but I prefer to fit the said loops loosely on the bar and permit the partitions to be adjusted longitudinally of the bar, the partitions nearest to the auxiliary chalk-receptacle serving to prevent the balls from dropping out of the exit-opening f when the receptacle A is adjusted or swung.

This being the construction of my invention, the operation thereof is as follows: \Vhen it is desired to discharge the balls upon the pooltable, the receptacle is swung upwardly by the attendant or player, so that it rests upon the upper side of the rail of the table, and the carrying-bar is now turned so that the partitions are withdrawn from the receptacle,whereupon the balls in the receptacle can be easily forced or rolled out through the exit-opening f upon the pool-table. The inclined sides of the auxiliary ehal k -receptacle serve to deflect the balls toward the exit-opening when they are being passed from the receptacle onto the table for use, and by means of the single exit-opening the balls are concentrated, so that they can be easily drawn into the angle usually employed in collecting and bunching the balls. After the receptacle has been emptied of the balls the carrying-bar is turned so that the partitions are again inclosed within the receptacle, and the latter is then returned to its normal position on the supports D and lies flush with the edges of the table, so as to be out of the way of the players.

By means of the separate compartments in the receptacle formed by the independent partitions the players are enabled to readily determine which of the balls belong to them,and thus keep a tally or score, and the necessity of aseparate chalk receptacle is dispensed with, the auxiliary receptacle in my device serving all the functions of a device of this class, in addition to facilitating the discharge of the balls from the receptacle A when desired.

My invention is simple and strong in construction, easily and quickly operated, and is cheap. It can be applied to any class of pool or billiard tables before they leave the factory and after they have been set up in a room.

Various slight changes in the form and pro- A portion of parts and details of construct-ion can be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention. what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A receptacle for pool-balls having a discharge-opening and supported directly on a pool-table, the said receptacle lying flush with or below the upper edges of the table when the game is in progress, and adapted to be adjusted upon the table to discharge all of the balls therein through the exit opening, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the supports secured directly to a pool or other table and a swinging receptacle normally resting on the supports and lying flush with the edges of the table, so as to be out of the way of the players, and adapted to be adjusted upon the upper edge of the table to discharge the balls con tained therein upon the table, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the supports secured directly to a pool or other table, a swinging receptacle normally resting on the supports and lying flush with the edges of the table, and the links intermediate of the supports and the receptacle, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

IIO

4. The combination of the horizontal supports secured directly upon a pool or other table, a swinging receptacle resting on the supports and having a single discharge-opeir ing for the free passage of the contents thereof upon the table when it is adjusted upon the latter, and the pivoted links intermediate of the outer edges of the receptacle and the inner ends of the supports, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of a swinging receptacle.

having a central discharge-opening and the inclined deflectors arranged at the middle of the receptacle, with their apex between the edges of the exit-opening thereof, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of the swinging receptacle, the supports therefor, the links, andthe independent partitions inclosed within the receptacle t'o providea series of compartments, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of aswinging receptacle, the swinging partitions connected with the receptacle and inclosed within the latter to provide a series of isolated compartments, the supports for the receptacle, and the links, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of a swinging receptacle having a single exit-opening, an auxiliary receptacle inclosed within the swinging receptacle and having the walls thereof arranged at an angle to each other, with their apex intermediate of the edges of theexit-op'ening, and the adjustable partitions connected'with the receptacle and inclosed within the latter to form a series of independent compartments, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination of aswinging receptacle, A, having a central exit: opening, f, at one side, an auxiliary receptacle inclosed within the swinging receptacle and formed'of two in clined walls, with their apex intermediate of the edges of the exit-opening f, a carrying-bar hinged to the swinging receptacle, the independent partitions supported on the carryingbar and forming isolated compartments when 'inclosed within the swinging receptacle, the

partitions nearest to the auxiliary receptacle within the. swinging receptacle closing the space between the said auxiliary receptacle andthe edges of the opening f, the supports D, secured to the pool or other table, and the links intermediate of the supports and the swinging receptacle, all arranged and adapted for service substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS M. DRAGOO.

WVitnesses:

J. L. EPPERSON, J. E. BARLOW. 

